★★★

“Fans of F Scott Fitzgerald and afficionados of ‘The Great Gatsby’ will not be disappointed”

‘On Air’ productions have become a popular staple of Theatre Royal, Windsor over the past few years, with their adaptations of classics read in an authentic studio setting, The style is that of a vintage radio drama, complete with live sound effects, replicating the medium that reached its height in the 1930s and 1940s. The atmosphere is authentically recreated for the latest production of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, “The Great Gatsby”, even if we are a bit unsure of which decade of the twentieth century we are entering. The (uncredited) set design is a gorgeous period concoction, more H G Wells than the Jazz Age, onto which the cast assemble as though stumbling out of one of Jay Gatsby’s all-nighters on Long Island.

Foley Artist (Martin Carroll) urges the ensemble to take their positions at the microphones while the Greenwich Time Signal counts down with its pips and the ‘On Air’ sign flickers. There is little, if any, preamble except for a few bars of Sophie Burke’s ragtime soundtrack at the piano. It is a shame as a hint of the dynamics between the cast and crew ‘off air’ would have lifted the show from its resemblance to a rehearsed reading, albeit a faithful and accomplished retelling of the story. Roy Marsden’s staging coasts in a no man’s land where not enough visual concessions are made for a theatre audience.

We all know the story, narrated from the point of view of Nick Carraway – Gatsby’s neighbour during the summer of 1922 – told in the first person. George Banks takes on the mantle to steer us through the narrative. A calm and articulate presence, Banks shifts from the role of narrator to that of his character within the action but makes no alteration in his delivery between the two. With the exception of Carley Stenson’s rich voiced Daisy Buchanan and Charlie Clements’ imposing Tom Buchanan, the rest of the cast double up. Eva O’Hara is a delightfully tipsy, party-loving Lucille but slightly flat as cheating, celebrity golfer Jordan Baker. Holly Smith successfully conveys Myrtle Wilson’s frustrated social status with her musical Bronx twang, cutting to a crisp RP for her minor cameos. Forgive me for any discrepancies as the programme credits don’t necessarily match what is unfolding onstage.

Barnaby Tobias, in the ‘great’ eponymous role appears to be a late replacement, but he has the strongest grasp of characterisation, peeling away the often-misplaced enigma that is Gatsby, to reveal the fast-talking, jittery awkwardness of a man out of his depth. Doubling as garage owner George Wilson he matches Smith’s ability to switch dialect on a dime.

Much of the playing space is given over to the collection of devices at Carroll’s disposal for the live soundscape. Like the overall theatrical concept, it is underused, and like the overall production, tricks have been missed and temptations for innovation have been resisted. We are left with the nagging question of the purpose of the exercise, especially with a story so iconic and recognised. It does, however, work well as a nostalgia piece but even then, it spurns the opportunity for experimentation that the breakthrough in radio drama originally offered nearly a century ago. There is a laziness that runs through, underlined by the dayglo highlighted markings incongruously splashed on the actors’ scripts. Weakening the sense of period it also heightens the feeling that we are guests at a reading.

Fans of F Scott Fitzgerald and afficionados of ‘The Great Gatsby’ will not be disappointed. Marsden’s adaptation is lovingly faithful to the book, but on the page only, which is where it remains in this interpretation, not quite making the journey to the stage in the style Jay Gatsby would have liked to arrive in.

THE GREAT GATSBY at St Paul’s Church

★★★

“Tethered Wits do deliver with what is clearly a grand night out”

There are few novels of which both the opening and closing lines are instantly recognisable, even by those who haven’t read the book. F Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” is probably at the top of that list. So famous now that ‘Gatsby’ has entered the English language and taken on a life of its own, with meanings that have often drifted away from its origins. ‘Tethered Wits’, the Cotswold based open air touring company, have grabbed the title and are respectfully putting it back where it belongs, with their faithful and solid interpretation of the iconic novel. With just five actors in the cast, they focus on the characters. A group of flawed, tragic and careless people caught in the American Dream. Simultaneously chasing it and trapped by it. “The Great Gatsby” is not all about the parties.

Having said that, it opens with a party. After sampling the cocktails in the grounds of St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, we are now seated under Gatsby’s summer sky, in concentric semicircles, as though at a wedding. After a burst of trombone and saxophone, Nick Carraway (Oliver Stockley) introduces himself and invites us into the story. Told through Carraway’s eyes in the novel, Stockley is now unwittingly the master of ceremonies; a little bewildered, slightly goofy, but with a world-weary wisdom drawn from hindsight.

The other four performers play many parts. They each have their principal role, but with deft use of the smallest prop or costume accessory, they waltz in and out of the minor characters. Sometimes fleeting, but each integral to steering the story to its inevitable end. Being so familiar with the novel it is difficult to say for sure; but newcomers (where have you been?) may be thrown into confusion occasionally. But let’s not forget that when the novel was published in 1925 it was generally panned, and Fitzgerald himself complained that “of all the reviews… not one had the slightest idea what the book was about”. A knee-jerk and self-inflated reaction, perhaps, but it gives you licence to occasionally lose track, so don’t worry.

Emma Hodgkinson’s pacey adaptation covers the key plotlines, and keeping Nick Carraway as the narrator allows the beauty of Fitzgerald’s eloquent prose to remain largely intact. Whenever it gets too close to exposition, the players interrupt and take over. As Gatsby, Rory Dulku – despite the requisite (though always misjudged) matinee idol looks – captures the nervousness and social awkwardness of this obsessive personality. He also plays George Wilson, the down-trodden garage owner. It is a risky doubling that could prove problematic, but Dulku successfully compartmentalises them. Olivia Willis as Daisy Buchanan and Amelia Stanimeros as Jordan Baker confidently twist through the story, almost like a triple-threat double act. With their background in dance, they both add rhythm and scale to the party scenes. Stanimeros also plays Myrtle Wilson, the tragic mistress of Tom Buchanan. Deakin Van Leeuwen’s Tom is an imposing, bullying figure – a touch too thuggish which conceals the innate sense of privilege. The showdown over Daisy between him and Gatsby, however, is impressive. Dulku’s reaction (forged by his facial expressions alone) when Van Leeuwen clearly touches a nerve is pretty spot on.

Overall, the production treads a safe path. The comedy is hinted at when required and the tragedy is faithfully represented (you all know it ends badly, right?). The darkness doesn’t quite shine through though (I’m sure that’s an oxymoron of which Fitzgerald would approve). We never fully appreciate the price these people have paid for chasing unattainable dreams. The “future that year by year recedes before us”. Fitzgerald’s novel is ultimately a sad and melancholic meditation on the lost promise of the American Dream. But – hey – some razzamatazz is called for, and it is what people expect when they think of Gatsby. Tethered Wits do deliver with what is clearly a grand night out. Maybe not as grand as one of Gatsby’s parties, but who has Gatsby’s budget these days?

Tag Archives: The Great Gatsby

THE GREAT GATSBY

★★★

Theatre Royal Windsor

THE GREAT GATSBY at the Theatre Royal Windsor

★★★

“Fans of F Scott Fitzgerald and afficionados of ‘The Great Gatsby’ will not be disappointed”

THE GREAT GATSBY at the Theatre Royal Windsor

Reviewed on 12th February 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Simon Vail

Previously reviewed at this venue:

ALONE TOGETHER | ★★★★ | August 2023

BLOOD BROTHERS | ★★★★★ | January 2022

THE CHERRY ORCHARD | ★★★★ | October 2021

THE GREAT GATSBY

THE GREAT GATSBY

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

The Great Gatsby

★★★

St Paul’s Church

THE GREAT GATSBY at St Paul’s Church

★★★

“Tethered Wits do deliver with what is clearly a grand night out”

THE GREAT GATSBY at St Paul’s Church

Reviewed on 17th August 2023

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Cosmic Xposure

More outdoor reviews:

La Cage Aux Folles | ★★★★★ | Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre | August 2023

Annie Get Your Gun | ★★★★ | Lavender Theatre | July 2023

Robin Hood: The Legend. Re-Written | ★★ | Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre | June 2023

Once On This Island | ★★★★ | Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre | May 2023

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

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